Illinois
State Government
Governor
J.B. Pritzker (D)
State Senate
40
Democrats,
19
Republicans
State House
78
Democrats,
40
Republicans
Economic well-being - Illinois
Extreme poverty rate
0.1
Food insecurity
0.1
Minimum wage
15.0
Percent of working families under 200% of the poverty line
0.3
Poverty rate
11.6%
Unemployment rate
4.4
Number of Black or African American children living in families where no parent has full-time, year-round employment
Number of Hispanic or Latino children living in families where no parent has full-time, year-round employment
Percent of individuals who are uninsured
6.9
Poverty by demographic - Illinois
Child poverty rate
0.1
Number of Asian and Pacific Islander children below 200% poverty
28000
Number of Black or African American children below 200% poverty
204000
Number of Hispanic or Latino children below 200% poverty
312000
Senior poverty rate
10.6 %
Women in poverty
6,308,481
The Morton Times-News, May 29, 2013: GateHouse Media Illinois special project: Graduation rates
"'Poverty rate is the biggest factor, I believe, that impacts graduation rates,' said Kewanee District 229 Superintendent Christopher Sullens. There's a lot of reasons for that. Students in low-income families don't always have the resources to help them out at night or provide extra services, and so it falls on the school to do.'"
Chicago Tribune, May 28, 2013: Despite overall wealth, officials say North Shore still needs poverty grant' money for schools
"A recent Tribune analysis showed that many of Illinois' wealthiest school districts like New Trier Township High School District, Winnetka District 36 and Wilmette District 39 have seen a significant increase since 2006 in the amount of poverty dollars used to help disadvantaged children. That rise has occurred even as some of the state's poorest schools are seeing their own allotments reduced."
The Register-Mail, May 26, 2013: Poverty a major obstacle to graduation
"Poverty rate is the biggest factor, I believe, that impacts graduation rates,' said Kewanee District 229 Superintendent Christopher Sullens. There's a lot of reasons for that. Students in low-income families don't always have the resources to help them out at night or provide extra services, and so it falls on the school to do.'"
Rockford Register Star, May 19, 2013: Poor Town: Many Rock River Valley seniors living on the edge
"Medical costs are a reason that AARP and other senior advocacy groups believe the government's poverty threshold needs to be replaced with an experimental, more detailed measurement called the Supplemental Poverty Measure."
Chicago Tribune, April 23, 2013: Illinois' method for measuring student poverty raises count statewide
"Across Illinois, the state counted some 1 million low-income students more than twice the federal numbers in calculating poverty payments to districts, a Tribune review of school finance data shows."
Chicago Sun-Times, April 03, 2013: (Op-Ed) Banks soak CPS as schools close
"Last month, the Chicago Board of Education announced it would close 54 schools, affecting 30,000 children, mostly in low-income, African-American neighborhoods on the city's South and West sides."